Pile repair caisson



April 1953 s. s. GLASSGOLD 2,636,354

FILE REPAIR CAISSON Filed March 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 lam IGIII L Qli omgg/ April 28, 1953 s. s. GLASSGOLD 2,636,354

PILE REPAIR CAISSON Filed March 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 So/om'omS'. G/czs yo/d (Z/Xorngy A ril 28, 1953 s. s. GLASSGOLD 2,

lfILE: REPAIR CAISSON Filed March 24, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 afi orng Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a caisson for repairing piles which have deteriorated near the water line. Large piers for various industrial and other uses are built out over the water and supported on concrete or other forms of piles which are placed relatively close together to hold the weight to which the pier is subjected. These piles due largely to freezing are broken away near the a caisson that may be very readily assembled around the pile and which will last for service upon an indefinite number of piles without any injury whatsoever to the caisson because of its water line and immediately below that line for a portion of their length depending somewhat on the tide in that locality. Well down below the 'water line, as well as above, the pile remain intact and will last indefinitely but near the water line this disintegration is relatively continuous V and the piles must be periodically repaired if they are not to be replaced. This invention relates to a caisson which is placed around these piles with the bottom of the caisson fitting snugly around the unworn portion of the pile beneath the surface of the water and extending somewhat above the water line, and after the water has been exhausted from the caisson, workmen may enter it and after cleaning the worn pile may place forms around it and pour additional concrete or other coating material around the worn portion of the pile so that the pile becomes virtually as strong, if not stronger at this location than it was initially. In practice the forms placed around the pile for pouring this additional concrete are left on for such additional strength as they may give in the avoidance of renewed wear upon the pile.

1 Although caissons have heretofore been developed for this general purpose, many of them have not been large enough for men to work with adequate care to clean the damaged pile and they have not excluded the water adequately for this operation to be carried on successfully. Where such caissons have been large enough or tight enough for such an operation they have been most difficult to install and have almost been consumed in the repairs made upon a Single pile.

Among the objects of the present invention are to make a caisson which may be carried to the pile in sections and the separate sections are relatively small so that they may be gotten between adjacent piles under a pier, and after locating them around a pile and their joining together, they may be securely tightened on the pile below the worn section and after adequately bracing them against undue movement, the water may be exhausted from them, and the workmen may perform their services in reasonably commodious surroundings.

Another object of the invention is to make such use. Another object of the invention is to provide a platform on which the men may work both to tow the caisson to the pile between the maze of piles under a pier and on which the workmen may stand in the placing of the caissons securely around the pile in the restricted place allowed because of the close placing of the piles relatively to each other under the piers.

Another object of the invention is to equip the caissons with a gasket which will not only serve to exclude all water from the caisson after the exhaust of water from it, but to equip the caisson with a gasket which will not disintegrate or break up either due to the wear from the possible movements of the caisson on the pile or workmen working around therein and treading upon the gasket. Also the gasket of this invention will not be injured by the water in the movements of the caisson sections from pile to pile.

Other objects and advantage of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a to plan view of the caisson with a pile shown in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of the caisson substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagonal vertical elevational view of one section of the caisson.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view sub-.

stantially on line 44 of Figure 2, but before the caisson is closed.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the gaskets substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view, the right portion being a sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 5 and the left section being a sectional view on line 6A6A of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the ex tension pins for the jack.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the well-boat for the workmen used in assemblingthe caisson.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view thereof. Figure 10 is an end view thereof, partly in section on line Ill-10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a top plan View showing the wellboat towing a caisson section to the pile.

In the drawings similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A concrete pier I is supported on a large number of closely placed concrete piles 2. These piles may be reinforced with iron rods as shown at 3. The caisson is made of two nearly symmetrical sections 5 and 6.

These caisson sections each have a floor portion 7 and side Walls 8, 8, lb and ii. The two side walls 8, 3 and iii, ll respectively being joined with watertight welded seams having thereat upright angles i 2 and E3. The corners or each section which are to be joined likewise have angle uprights Hi, all of similar construction. The angles it have holes therein through which may be placed pins it to be used in guiding the caisson sections together in their assembly around the pile. Air tanks H and 18 are in the diagonal corners of the respective caisson sections and .air tanks 19 and 2i! are in caisson section 5 and air tanks 21 and 22 are in caisson section .5. Caisson section 5 also has a large side air tank 23 and a small bottom air tank 24 and caisson section 6 has a large side air tank 25 and a smaller side air tank 26. The corner and side air tanks have openings closed by plugs 27 through which opene ing some water may be admitted to these tanks if desired for lowering the level of the caissons in the water.

Both sections of the caisson have rods 28 vertically held therein on brackets 29 and the rods have ratchet wheels so thereon and the upper bracket 3| has thereon pawl 32 by which the rod may be held in its rotated position, the rod having a square head 33 for winding with a crank not shown. Welded to each of these rods 28, which are held in their brackets by a cotter pin beneath the lowest bracket 2Q, are chains 34, all of equal length and to the other end of these chains 3% is welded the hook rod 35. The hook rod 35 has a hook 36 at its upper end which may be hung over the top of the side wall of the other section of the caisson. This other section of the caisson has a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extending hooks 3i thereon back of which the rod 35 is placed to assemble the caisson sections around the pile. As shown in'Figures 2 and 3, the attachment or welding of the chains to the rods 28 and 35 is such as to make the chains take a spiral course when they are wound upon rod 2 8 and at the same time this winding of the chains by rod 28 firmly pulls the rod 35 down upon its hook 3.6 to secure the same firmly in its location and to prevent slippage.

The caisson is held down in the water and firmly around the upper section of the pile by means of jacks 38 resting upwardly against the underside of the pier i and the sleeve 39 of the jack has thereon a downwardly projecting arm 50 which fits in socket ii in which it is held tight by screw 32, the sleeve 39 fitting in socket 43 on the side walls of the caisson. Some piers are higher than others and it may be desired to use an extension pin to as shown in Figure 7, the bottom portion of which is placed in the sleeve 39 and the lower end of the screw of the jack is placed in the upper orifice of the extention pin.

Each section of the caisson has around its edge adjacent the pile opening and at its juncture with the other caisson, both on the floor and on the vertical rise or side, a gasket 4 5. The floor sections of each caisson section at its edge is reinforced by a rigid U-shaped member 46 welded to the floor section as shown at ll and 48 in Figure 5 and this U-shaped section 46 may be strengthened by spaced ribs 59. Around this member 46 and the floor 7 is placed the extended ends or edges 50 of the gasket.

The gasket 45 is built up in sections including a tough flexible sheath or inner layer of a material like gum sheet rubber 5i and then a layer of bronze screening 52 and then a soft core such as one or two layers of soft or sponge rubber 53 and with a final outer layer or tough flexible sheath such as gum sheet rubber 5 3. These various layers, after assembly, are placed in a mold and under the effect of steam and pressure are molded into an integral unit. The extended edges 59 are then placed around the exposed edge of the bottom of the caisson and of the U-shaped member 55 and steel plates 55 are placed on both sides of the gasket above the upper extended edge .50 and below the lower edge 50 and then these plates 55 are bolted by means of bolts 56 on the upper edge through the door section 1 and the upper portion Or" the U-shaped member 46, and on the lower edge through the lower portion or l J-shaped member 33. This firm construction of gasket and its attachment to the edges or" the floor section insure its stability when applied to the pile in spite of the movements or the caisson in getting it adjusted upon the pile. They also insure its stability even when walked upon by the workmen within the caisson and the firm structure or" the gasket insures it a ainst disintegration notonly in the assembly upon the pile but in its transportation in the Water from pile to pile.

The gasket so constructed not only goes around the pile and along one side of each floor section but vertically upwardly along the adjacent side of the caisson. The other section of the caisson has a gasket similarly and symmetrically placed thereon and the side of the fioor section of each corresponding section lacking the gasket has a vertically extended plate 5? against which the gasket of the adjacent caisson section bears. This section or plate 571' is continued in its face surface upwardly at the caisson corner by one of the angles i l as shown in Figure 3, against which the vertically extending asket section on the op.- posite caisson section bears. Thus a completely firm and watertight gasket is provided between the two caisson sections and between the caisson and the pile.

After the caisson sections are placed around the pile and initially tightened thereon, the water is pumped from the caisson and the caisson may rise a few inches, sliding on the pile, until the adjusted jacks 38 contact the under side of the pier, and the pumping is continued until the in side of the caisson is dry, then the force oi the outside water will firmly tighten the caisson, and exclude all the water and allow the workmen to make the necessary repairs first by cleaning and then by casting or molding further concrete or other material around the pile.

It will be noted in Figures 1 and 4. that the opening for the pile in the completed caisson is off-center, toward one of the corners along the line of division of the caisson. Thi oil-center location is for the purpose of allowing a work! man to stand in the larger space 53 and performv his work there upon the pile and reach around through the smaller space 5.9 to allow him to per-- form his work there. Both sections of the cais son are symmetrical in the location of the largerspace in the adjacent sides or the respective cais son sections. Also the corner tanks are curved on the inside to give the wor en more working space. It is imperative that these caissons be. as small as possible in order to get between the closely positioned or spaced piles under the pier aesessd and it often requires considerable calculation and effort to get them spaced and accurately positioned even as now constructed.

Each caisson section has a chain 60 welded at one end to one of the acute corners of the caisson section. This chain Bi! has its other end hooked over a clip 6! in well-boat 62.

The well-boat 62 has a number of clips 8 I, one in each corner for the most convenient location of the chain in getting the caisson section to and in place upon the piles. The well-boat 62 has end tanks 63 which may be filled with water to any desired level through openings 64. These tanks or chambers 63 are exteriorly connected at their top by lengthwise extending air chambers 65 which are internally separate from the end chambers 63 and they perform the service of stabilizing the well-boat in the water. It will be noted that the end sections or tanks 63 also have horizontal sections 86 which serve to stabilize the boat in use to prevent one end from dipping too rapidly, that is, should the workman throw his weight toward that end. The well-boat bottom consists of beams across which are placed floor boards $8 on which the workman stands virtually waist-high in the water as shown in Figure 9. Stabilizing keel tank 69 of triangular shape as shown in Figure 10 is attached to the boat at its bottom and the depth of the water in this tank may be varied through openings it, one for water inlet and the other for air outlet. By the use of this well-boat the workman standing therein, one workman in each boat, handling each section of the caisson, the workmen can not only get the sections between the piles and into position around the intended pile but they have a secure and reasonably safe position in which to perform these services. The well-boat has buoyancy'adequate for the support of one workman and to permit him to stand low in the water in order to keep his balance to get the caisson properly located and closed in position around the pile with the very limited head room allowed under the pier.

The operation of the caisson and its utility and the serviceability of the well-boat in locating and closin the caisson will be apparent from the above detailed description. It will also be apparent that many changes may be made in the detailed construction of both the caisson and its accompanying well-boat within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A caisson for repairing piles below the water line, said caisson being open at the top and having side walls and a floor, the floor having an opening near the center thereof shaped to conform to the unworn pile and comprising, in combination, means adjacent the top of said caisson to stabilize the same around the pile below the water line, the caisson being vertically divided through its walls and floor into two mating sections for assembly around a pile, means to join said sections together, a compressible gasket between the floor sections at their line of juncture and on both floor sections at their edges adjacent the pile, the gasket comprising a soft core and a tough flexible outer layer or coating, means to firmly secure the coating to one of the edges of the adjacent fioor sections, and the coating having edges folded back above and below the projecting edges of the floor adjacent the pile and means passing through both folded back coating edges and the floor adjacent the pile to securely join the gasket to the floor.

2. A caisson for repairing piles below the water line, said caisson being open at the top and having side walls and a floor, the floor having an opening near the center'thereof shaped to conform through its walls and floor into two mating sections for assembly around a pile, means to join said sections together, a compressible gasket between the floor sections at their line of junctureand on both fioor sections at their edges adjacent the pile, the gasket comprising a soft core and a tough flexible coating of inner and outer layers, all assembled into a single unit, means to firmly secure the coating to one of the edges of the adjacent floor sections, with the inner layer being next to the floor sections, and both layers of the coating having edges folded back above and below the projecting edges of the floor adjacent the pile and means passing through both folded back coating edges and the floor adjacent the pile to securely join the gasket to the floor.

3. A caisson for repairing piles below the water line, said caisson being open at the top and having side walls and a floor, the floor having an opening near the center thereof shaped to conform to the unworn pil and comprising, in combination, means adjacent the top of said caisson to stabilize the same around the pile below the water line, the caisson being vertically divided through its walls and fioor into two mating sections for assembly around a pile, means to join said sections together, a compressible gasket between the floor sections at their line of juncture and on both floor sections at their edges adjacent the pile, the gasket comprising a soft core and a tough flexible coating of inner and outer layers and a layer of screening between the core and the inner layer and substantially coextensive with the latter, all assembled into a single unit, means to firmly secure the coating to one of the edges of the adjacent floor sections with the inner layer being next to the floor sections, and both layers of coating and the screening having edges folded back above and below the projecting edges of the floor adjacent the pile and means passing through both folded back coating edges of both layers and the screening and the floor adjacent the pile to securely join the gasket to the floor.

4. A caisson for repairing piles below the water line, said caisson being open at the top and having side walls and a floor, the floor having an opening near the center thereof shaped to conform to the unworn pile and comprising, in combination, means adjacent the top of said caisson to stabilize the same around the pile below the water line, the caisson being vertically divided through its walls and floor into two mating sections for assembly around a pile, a gasket between the floor sections at their line of juncture and on both floor sections at their edges adjacent the pile, and means to join said sections together comprising two vertically extending rods at each wall section juncture, said rods being attached together by a plurality of chains spaced lengthwise along the rods, one of said rods being rotatably fixedly secured to one wall section and having a turning means and locking ratchet thereon, the adjacent wall section having a plurality of hooks thereon, back of which the other rod is adapted to be placed, a hook on th top of the said other rod adapted to be placed over the top wall section having the hooks thereon, said chains being fast to said rods to wrap around the ratchet rod, and being attached on the ratchet rod below the attachment on the hooked rod, to pull the hooked rod down and to make a spiral winding about the ratchet rod in pulling the caisson sections together.

- SOLOMON S. GLASSGOLD.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number a a eva Number 8 Name Date Weems Feb. 1, 1881' Cowie May 2, 1911 McCammack Feb. 9, 1926 Ritz Woller Dec. 27, 1932 Hay Feb. 13, 1934 Weiner Aug. 25, 1936 Wichert May 11, 1937 Upton Jan. 13, 1943 Swarthout Dec. 11, 1945 

